A computer mouse is an accessory device using with a computer to control a cursor on the screen to deal with documents and view internet. A mouse's movement on a desk is typically translated into the motion of a pointer on a display, which allows for fine control of a graphical user interface. Pointing, clicking, dragging, and scrolling are basic computer mouse operations. The mechanical and electronic components, as well as a printed circuit board inside a mouse body can realize these functions. on the other hand, a mouse body design usually determines the way how people use or operate the mouse. A mouse body generally consists of a housing, two click buttons (some types have more than two buttons), one scroll wheel, and a tracking sensor (mechanical roller with optical encoding disks, optical/laser sensor, etc.).
There are many different types of computer mice, which include mechanical mice, optical and laser mice, inertial and gyroscopic mice, pressure-sensitive mice (3D mice), tactile mice, ergonomic mice, and gaming mice. Almost all these mice currently available on marketplace are designed to work on a desk/mouse pad surface.
A typical traditional mouse configures a tracking sensor (e.g. mechanical roller, optical/laser sensor) on the bottom of the mouse body and two click buttons and a scroll wheel on the top of the body. Most of mice are designed for right hand use. When a right hand moves the mouse on a desk surface to control the pointer on a screen, the index finger operates left button and middle finger operates the right button. A scroll wheel is generally arranged between the two buttons. If the mouse is changed to left hand, the left hand has to use middle finger to operate left button and use index finger to operate right button. Now there are small quantity mice designed and manufactured specific for left hand. There are also small quantity of mice which have a mechanism to switch right and left configurations by either a switcher or by software. But most regular mice are for right hand use only. The flat surface dependent and right-hand mice are the most commonly used in office and at home. They are also most common and popular on marketplace.
A trackball mouse modified the mouse body design to arrange a trackball above the mouse bottom. An operator uses thumb or fingers to rotate the trackball in order to move the cursor on the display. A mechanical sensor (with optical encoding disks) or optical/laser sensor can be used to track the trackball's movement. For an optical/laser sensor, light beam is adjusted to trackball's surface in stead of a desk surface. Logitech Wireless Trackball M570 is an example of trackball mice, which applies wireless and laser sensor in the mouse. Trackball mice require less hand movement and less desk surface space.
Joystick mice and column/vertical mice designed the mouse body for optimal ergonomic fit to a hand. They allow a hand and wrist in a neutral angle position. An operator primarily moves arm in stead of wrist when mousing. To some extent this configuration can reduce fatigue on the arm and hand. 3M Ergonomic Optical Mouse (EM500GPS) is an example of joystick mouse. And Zero Tension Mouse (optical tracking) is an example of vertical mouse.
Most of the mice mentioned above are designed to be operated on a flat desk surface. When a hand uses a regular mouse, the hand has to turn its palm to desk surface. Then the ulna and radius bones on the arm are crossed. Many people have to keep this posture in work and leisure activities for a long time in front of computers. Since mousing activities at this posture use the same small muscles from fingers to shoulder over and over again, it can lead to discomfort, pain, and even can develop repetitive strain injury on the hand, arm, and shoulder. When using joystick mice and column/vertical mice, the ulna and radius bones on the arm are not crossed. But the hand, arm, and shoulder have to keep the same posture since they are tied on a desk surface. Thus they restrict user's hand and arm orientation. People have been looking for different ways to avoid this kind of discomfort and repetitive strain injury. They have promoted and designed many ergonomic computer mice.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,982,356 presented handheld mouse, which applied a joystick to drive a curser on a display screen. The joystick is arranged on the top of the handheld mouse body and is controlled by thumb. It is a symmetric design and is good for either right hand and left hand. The drawback is that the thumb has to raise up to control the joystick button. Thus it is not at thumb's natural and comfortable position.
U.S. D464053 S has the similar design as U.S. Pat. No. 5,982,356 in the shape. The difference is that U.S. D464053 S uses trackball on the top of the handheld mouse body.
U.S. Pat. Des. 380208 and Des. 385539 are similar designs by Jason R. Taylor. The designs did not indicate the click buttons and cursor driving element arrangement on the computer hand controller. The finger guard ring seems to be designed for fitting all fingers except thumb. If click buttons and scroll wheel are arranged in the finger guard ring, the gripping and clicking actions are not in an optimal situation.
U.S. Pat. Des. 430161 is also a handheld mouse design with a trackball on the top of the body and two finger guard rings for ring finger and little finger respectively. The trackball on the top makes the thumb in an uncomfortable situation. The two separate finger guard rings limit the two finger's freedom a little bit too much and will make the two fingers not feel comfortable.
U.S. Pat. D466510 and D478330 are designed by Tai-Her Yang. The trackball is on the top of the mouse body.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,816,151 B2, U.S. Pat. No. 7,379,052 B1, and U.S. RE40698 E are designed by Terry L. Dellinger. Trackball is arranged on the top of the mouse body under thumb's control.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,809,722 B2 is a handheld mobile mouse. Similar as previous referred patents, the trackball is arranged on the top of the mouse body under thumb's control.
US 2002/0171625 A1 presented a pistol-grip trackball mouse. This design arranged the trackball on the handle to allow thumb to easily control the trackball. However ring finger, little finger, and the hand part between thumb and index finger have not been fully taken use of to support the mouse. And it does not have the function that is able to be operated on a desk surface.
This invention takes the advantage of handheld mouse, but presents a unique design for the mouse body. It can be held by either right hand or left hand without needing to change user's operation habit since the click buttons are designed for index finger and middle finger instead of left click button and right click button. It can also be used on a flat desk surface with either right hand or left hand. Although it is a handheld mouse, its design is different from any patent mentioned above. Neither is it the same as any on marketplace.